Sealing-in machine.



Nu. 5,898. Patented Dec. I6, !902.

A. SWAN. SEALING-IN MACHINE.

( uestion filed m 25, 1901.)

v 2 Sheets-Shoat 1.

(K0 Model.)

Inventor. qlfred Swan,

TN: NORRIS PETERS co, F

m. H5398. Raianteif nee. l6, I902.

I A. V SW,AN. SEALING-IN MACHINE.

(Application filed In. 25-, 1901.)

(in Model.)

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. Inventor: I o lfred Swan,

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In: News PETERS cc. vnmoumo" NASNKNGTON. D. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

ALFRED SWAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SEALING-IN MACHINE.

STECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,898, dated December16 1902.

Application filed March 25, 1901. erial No. 52,708. (No model.)

T at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SWAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Sealing-In Machines, (Case No.,2,094,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for effecting an all-glass seal betweenthe stem which carries the filament of an incandescent electric lamp andthe inclosing bulb.

The object of the invention is to increase the rapidity of thesealing-in operation, so as to reduce the cost of this step in theprocess of manufacture of an incandescent electric lamp.

A further object is to give the neck of the bulb at which the seal iseffected a definite and uniform shape, by reason of which it may moreaccurately fit the conducting-base of the lamp than is the case withjoints as heretofore made.

In carrying out the invention I provide mechanism by which the lamp-bulband the stem may be supported and given a relative rotary movement withrespect to a heater by which the glass at and around the joint issoftened, so that an autogenic weld may be efiected, and provide meansfor inclosing the stem near the joint in a cup, mold, or even in thebase of the lamp itself and for delivering gaseous pressure Within thebulb while the glass is still soft, thereby causing it to swell and fillthe inclosure,by which it is given a definite shape to form a good fitwith its base. I provide also means by which the source of heat isapplied and cut off at the proper time to permit the bulb and stem,separately or together after the seal is effected, to be manipulated bythe operator.

The invention involves various features of construction the novelty ofwhich will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and Will be definitelyindicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,which illustrate the invention as carriedout on an organized machine, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectionalelevation of a machine embody- .rod 5.

ing my improvements, and Fig. 2 a side elevation on a plane at rightangles to that shown in Fig. 1.

1 represents a pulley 'by which connection may be made with any suitablesource of power and which drives a shaft carrying a worm driving aworm-gear 2, carrying also a clutch-gear 3, communicating motion when inclutch to spur-gearing 3 5 and bevel-gearing 4 4, by which a rotatorymovement may be imparted to the lamp parts. These parts are providedwith supports upon which they maybe placed before the seal is effected.

One of these comprises a pin 5, secured by a set-screw 6 to a sleeve 7,journaled in a hearing mountedon a table 8. The sleeve incloses a rod 9,pressed upwardly by a coilspring 10, carrying at its top a shell or mold11, the inner surface of which is of the shape it is desired to give thefinished neck of the lamp. The mold is screwed to the rod 9, asindicated clearly in Fig. 1, so that it may be removed and replaced, andhas an overhanging shoulder, which in the depressed position is stoppedby the top of the sleeve 7. Aplurality of vertical arms 12 12 (three inthe type shown in the drawings) form a support for the lamp-bulb. Theseare secured to a sleeve 13, adapted to slide over the sleeve 7.

Both the supporting parts 5 and 18 are capable ofbeing adjustedvertically. A handwheel 15 carries a gear and is mounted in fixedbearings in the frame of the machine. In gear with the wheel is a rack16, attached to the sleeve 7, to which the pin 5, which forms thesupport for the stem, is secured. Another hand-wheel 17 is mounted inthe bearings carried by the sleeve 13, which carries the posts 12 12 tosupport the bulb, and this hand-wheel carries a gear 18, engaging therack. The small hand-wheel 17 regulates the lip of the bulb relativelyto the edge of the flare of the glass stem carried by the The largehand-wheel 15 is for adjusting both these parts relatively to the fires.The movement controlled by the large handwheel may be omitted whenprovisions are made for adjustment of the fires.

Mounted on the sliding frame 19 are a series of vertical pipes 20,placed at equal radial distances from the rotatory central support forthe lamp parts, each of which maybe provided with gas-cocks, asindicated, and communicate by flexible pipes 21 21 22 22, delivering airand gas, respectively, from a suitable source of supply controlled byautomatically-regulated cocks 23 23, as will be presently described. Thegas-jets thus produced impinge upon the neck of the lamp at or near thejoint with the stem, as Will be evident from Fig. 1, and by therevolution of the latter the glass is soon softened and a weld efiectedat the joint. An adjustingwheel 24, carrying an eccentric 25, whichlatter engages the frame 19, permits the plane of the frame to be raisedor lowered to accommodate the machine to different sizes of lamps. Itwill be seen that gear 4 is splined on sleeve 7 and held suspended by asmall set-screw projecting into a peripheral groove on its collar. Thisis not essential where the movement of the bulb and stem by handwheel 15is provided for.

In order to permit the lamp and stem to be mounted in the supports, Iprovide for an interruption of the rotatory movement by means of asliding clutch-gear 3, to which is secured a grooved sleeve 26,feathered on the drive-shaft, and which may be shifted along the shaftby means of a lever 27, motion being effected by a cam-groove 28,mounted on the face of the worm-gear, a pin 29, attached to aright-angled extension of the lever 27, entering said cam-groove. Thelever 27 is connected at its elbow loosely with a pivoted lever 30,which acts as a shifter for the gascocks 23 23, which regulate theheatingflaine. The lever is rocked by the cam 28, which gives the pin 29a to-and-fro motion and acts to operate the clutch through lever 27 andsimultaneously act on lever 30, one end of which is connected with 27 bya pin and slot. Said lever 30 rocks both cocks 23 23 to adjust theflames. Fixed on the counter-shaft which carries the worm-gear is a cam31, adapted to raise and lower the :rod 9, lowering it by engaging a lug32 against the tension of the spring 10, and thereby holding the mold 11away from the neck of the lamp during the major part of the sealingoperation and then permitting the spring to thrust the mold over thelamp-neck when the edge of the cam 31 passes the lug 32. Simultaneouslywith this operation a cup 33, having a flexible edge, is shifted overthe top of the lamp and air-pressure applied through the tubulature 34,by which the glass is blown out to fill the'mold. These movements arecontrolled by a cam 35, fixed to the wormgear, the periphery of whichengages a roller 36, acting on the short end of a lever 37, connected bya link with a lever 38, supported from the table, the outer end of whichen gages a roller on the end of a spring-pressed pipe 39, slidingair-tight in the box 40, communicating with a source of air-pressurethrough the pipe 41. In the wall of the pipe 39 is cut a helical slot42, (see Fig. 2,) engaging a fixed pin, by means of which when the pipeis shifted upwardly under the thrust of the lever 38 a partial rotationis communicated to the pipe 39. This pipe carries the flexible cup 33,which passes over the tubulature of the lamp. It will be seen that thecam 35 is provided with but a single de-- pression occupying a narrowangle, as indicated in Fig. 1. In the position shown in the drawings theroller 36 is riding over the inclined wall of this cam and has broughtthe cup 33 over the tubulature of the bulb and is in the act ofestablishing an air connection between the pipes 41 and 39 by means ofthe port 43. When the motion of the roller 36 to the bottom of thecam-notch is completed, air-.

pressure is communicated to the pipe 39 and the lamp-neck is blown outto fill the mold. This occupies but an instant of time, after which theroller 36, rising on the steep wall of the cam-notch, (motion beinginthe direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 1,) raises the pipe 39through the instrumentality of levers 37 and 38 until the cup 33 clearsthe tubulature 34, by which time the pin 44 enters the bent part of thegroove 42 and gives the cup a quick lateral turn, thereby shifting itaway from the lamp parts and permitting the sealed bulb to be removedfrom the machine. Simultaneonslywith the application of pressure to thebulb the mold is shifted over the neck and the rotation is interrupted,nnclutching the gearing,after which the rotation is arrested for aperiod, giving the operator time to remove the lamp from the machine andapply another stem and bulb.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. Means for sealing in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a rotatory frame to support the stem and bulb, means forintermittently revolving the same, means to heat the joint, and meansfor automatically cutting off the heat when the seal is completed.

2. Means for sealing in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a rotatory frame to support the stem and bulb, means forrotating the same, means to supply a gas-flame impinging at the joint,and automatic means for intermittently turning on and off the flame.

3. Means for sealing in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a rotatory frame to support the stem andbulb,acontinnously-operating power-driven device, automatic means forclutching the rotatory frame intermittently with said device, agasburner, and means for directing a sealingflame at the joint andcutting it off when the clutch is engaged and disengaged respectively.

4. Means for sealing in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a central rotatory frame to support the stem and latingdevices, automatic means for intermittently clutching the frame withsaid power, a gas-burner to direct a flame on the joint, and a cut-offfor said flame operated when the clutch is disengaged.

6. Means for scaling in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a rotatory frame to support the stem and bulb,power-transmitting devices, a clutch to connect it with the rotatoryframe, worm-gear-, ing operated by the power, a shifter operated by theworm-gear to control the clutch, and gas-burners around theframe'directing their jets radially toward the frame.

7. Means for scaling in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a central rotatory frame, supports thereon for the stem andbulb, a plurality of gas-burners directing flames toward the frame, andindependent adjusting devices for shifting and setting each supportrelatively to the flame.

8. Means for sealing in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a rotatory support for the stem and bulb having a fixedrelative position, a heater to fuse the stem and bulb together playinginwardly toward said support, a mold surrounding the stem-support andadapted to be brought over the joints, and means for applying internalpressure to cause the softened glass to fill the mold.

9. Means for scaling in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising central means for supporting the stem and bulb, a I

heater directing heat inwardly toward the same for fusing them togetherat the joint, a mold adapted to surround the joints when the glass issoftened, and means for applying gas-pressure to the inside of the bulb.

10. Means for sealing in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a rotatory support for the stem and bulb having a fixedposition, a gas-burner to heat the joints, a cup or mold, means forshifting the same to inclose the joints, a pipe connected with a sourceof gas-pressure, and means for connecting and disconnecting the samewith the bulbs when the glass is softened.

11. Means for sealing in the stem of an incandescent electric lamp,comprising a rotatory support for the stem and bulb, a heater forsoftening the glass at the joint, a cup or mold to embrace the joint, acup having a flexible rim, means operated by the machine for shiftingsaid cup over and inlcontact with the bulb, a source of air-pressure,and an automatic valve delivering pressure to the bulb when the glass atthe joint is soft.

12. Means for scaling in the stems of incandescent electric lamps,comprising a central rotatory spindle containing supports for the bulband stem, a heater to soften the glass, a mold for the neck of the bulb,a cam for raising the mold around the neck, a flexible cap for the topof the bulb adapted to inclose the tubulature, a bent pipe carrying thecup, and a cam to shift the cup into axial alinement with the bulb andthen drop it over the same.

13. Means for scaling in the stems of incandescentelectriclamps,comprisinga driven shaft for revolving the lamp parts, aclutch, a wor m-wheel 2, a cam periodically operating the clutch, a mold11, a cam for raising and lowering it, cup 33, pipe 39, and meansoperated by the machine for connecting and disconnecting it with thebulb.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of March,1901.

ALFRED SWAN.

Witnesses:

S. N. WHITEHEAD, JOHN E. MITCHELL, Jr.

